Brett and Hannah (Soul Mates 101 Series) (13 page)

“
I love you, Hannah. My heart’s yours.”

He watched
the stunned look on her face as she blinked several times. The tears came next, and he thought she was holding her breath.

“
Breathe, baby,” he said, smiling. He watched the breath escape her.

“
I love you, too, Brett.” She pulled her hand from his and wrapped her arms tightly around him. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.” Drops of joy streaked her cheeks.

Brett lay
next to her and wiped her tears away.

“
I can tell those are happy tears, but if my friends see, they’ll throw you out of here for estrogen overload.” He kissed her forehead.

“
I like your friends, and it appears they like mine. I think we’re turning into one big, happy family.”

“You think that now. Give it time, a
nd you’ll be sick of them. It’s cool Matt’s interested in Morgan. He doesn’t see women more than a few times, if that.

“
Austin and Chelsea are definitely hitting it off. It seems you girls have turned our bachelor lives upside down.”

He pulled Hannah tight up against him
, burying his nose into her neck and hair as he let out a growl.

“What you did tonight was hot
. You really surprised me, and you were exceptional at it. Then making up those sex positions to get back at Dylan turned me on.”

“
Well, your tongue was exceptional at what it did to me the other night. There are not words for that lesson.”

“
Don’t remind me. I want to do it again—now, and I can’t risk you moaning like you did then. If you think the guys tease you now, you have no idea what they’ll unleash on you if they hear that.”

Hannah p
layfully smacked his arm. “Stop. That’s embarrassing.”

“I love
it when you moan. Roll over, shortcake, and spoon with me.”

“
Why did you give me that nickname?”

“It’
s a story for another day.”

“
Oh, and I didn’t make up those sex positions. I Googled them for us.”

“Shit
, Hannah. You are so unbelievably hot. How am I supposed to sleep now?” he asked as he pulled her tight against him.

“
Goodnight, Brett. I love you.”

He loved hearing her say it, and he knew she meant it.

“I love you, too.”

Back in the family room, Dylan was playing on the Xbox. Austin was making out with Chelsea on the couch, and Matt was doing the same with Morgan in a chair.

Dylan stopped playi
ng on the Xbox and turned around to look at his friends. When he saw Cody talking to Jasmine, he became irritated. He wasn’t attracted to her, but he didn’t like that all his friends were getting with one of the girls, and there wasn’t one left for him.

I need a damn girlfriend. This being alone shit is getting old.

“You women need to find me a chick,” he said.

Chelsea pulled away from Austin.

“We should hook Dylan up with Taylor when she comes back to town,” Chelsea said as she glanced to Morgan and Jasmine.

“Who’
s that?” Dylan asked.

“She’
s one of our closest girlfriends. She’s studying in New York but will be back here soon.

“
She’s going to Vandy next year, and I could totally see you two together,” Morgan said.

Jasmine chuckled.
“Yeah, but they’d probably kill each other.”

Dylan looked at her.
“Why do you say that?”

“
She can be hot headed at times, and don’t get mad, but I think she’d meet her match with you.”

“As
long as she’s as hot as all of you, then I’m up for the challenge,” he said, winking at Jasmine as he turned his ball cap around backwards.

“You don’
t have to worry there. She’s pretty,” Chelsea said.

“I think it’
s time for bed,” Austin said before he kissed Chelsea’s neck.

“M
organ, let’s go to bed, too,” Matt said as he took hold of her hand and pulled her behind him down the hallway.

“Jasmine, it appears you’
ve lost your ride home. Do you want me to take you?” Cody asked.

“
If you don’t mind, that’d be great.” She gave him a flirty grin.

“I guess I’ll go play my guitar. She’s my only friend tonight
,” Dylan said with frustration.

A few days later, Brett was working at the Masons’ when he needed to use the restroom. As he got closer, he heard the most beautiful music. Hannah was singing as she lounged by the pool.

He was taken aback by the ange
lic sound coming from her and had to stop in his tracks to listen to her mesmerizing voice. Being able to sing wasn’t something Hannah had mentioned. He didn’t want to startle her, so he called out her name from a distance. She immediately sat up straight and stopped.

“Hey, shortcak
e.”

“Hi, babe. I’m
trying to give you space today.”

“You
come see me whenever you want.” He bent over to kiss her before he sat down at the end of her chair.

“Hannah, why didn’t you mention you could sing?”

“It didn’t come up.”

Brett sensed there was more behind her not telling him. “Your voice
... it’s unbelievable.”

“Thank you. I’ve liked the fact that you never
asked me if I could sing. That’s usually the first things people want to know because of Mom.”

“I figured as much, so that’
s why I never did. I thought you’d tell me if you were good at it.”

It became quiet for several seconds,
as Hannah lay with her shades on, looking straight ahead.

“What’s going on, Hannah? You’
re never at a loss for words, and I can tell this makes you uncomfortable. I hope you know you can talk to me about anything.”

Hannah removed her sunglass
es and shielded her eyes with her hand. “I love to sing. I mean, there’s nothing I’d rather do than sing.”

“I don’t understand why you’
re just now sharing this, and I wonder when you would’ve told me if I hadn’t overheard you,” he said frustrated.

“I’m sorry.
I guess I’ve carried the secret with me for so long that I didn’t know how to bring it up.” Hannah grabbed his hand. “Please don’t be upset with me.”

“Why don’t you s
ing? I don’t understand why it’s a secret.”

“When I became a teenager I started fo
cusing on it, and then one day when my parents didn’t know I was listening, I overheard my mom tell my dad that she was worried about her career because of all the new up and coming female artists.

“
She was telling him how her age was starting to show, and she was worried about competing with young, beautiful, new singers. She seemed so angry at them, and she even started crying.

“
My mom’s not even close to being ready to retire. She still makes new music every day, so she definitely wasn’t ready five or six years ago. I decided then I wasn’t going to pursue it. If I became famous, people would think it’s because of her, but most importantly I didn’t want to hurt her by taking from her fame.”

“
If you became famous it would be from that amazing voice I just heard. You need to sing. You don’t know that it wouldn’t help your mother’s career. I mean, you all could even sing together at times. If it’s some—”

“This is why I haven’t told
anyone. I don’t want to be talked into it and risk hurting her.”

“Y
ou’re going to hear this, Hannah. I don’t know what caused you to be this way, but you need to put yourself first for a change. You haven’t told your dad about his sleazy friend because you want to spare his feelings, and you’ve kept this huge secret to protect your mom. What’s caused this? You’re so strong in every other way.”

“I don’t know. I guess the fact that they work so ha
rd to give me this kind of life. Then they’re already gone so much. I don’t want to make life harder for them.”

“You don’t owe them anythin
g. Parents give their children what they can, and your parents just happen to have a lot to give. Your dad needs to know his friend’s an asshole, and your mom should know her only child who is bright, beautiful and kind can also sing like an angel.”

“That’s
sweet of you to say, but I don’t know.”

“Do you even want to be an actress?”

“No, but I figured it would be second best to singing, and my mom seemed thrilled when I told her.

“
She’s never pushed me to sing, so that’s another reason I didn’t think she wanted me to. I need to tell you something. The day we made love for the first time, my mom called to tell me I’d been given an audition for a role in a movie being filmed in LA. Someone’s supposed to call me any day to go out there, and if I got the part I’d have to move there.”

“Why are you just now telling me this?”

“I knew as soon as she told me that I didn’t want to do it. I just haven’t had the heart to tell her. She seemed so excited and of course, pulled strings to get it for me.”

“Please te
ll me I’m not the only reason you’re not going?”

“I don’t want to
move away from you, my friends or Nashville. Even if I hadn’t met you, I swear I wouldn’t go.”

“Then why are you taking acting classes?”

“I figured once I graduated college that if nothing better came to mind then I’d try to act, but I love Nashville, and I don’t know if I could live anywhere else.”

“Then you need to
tell your parents about the singing. You can’t put your mom’s feelings before yours to the point that you give up an entire dream. I’m not going to be able to drop this, Hannah. You deserve happiness, too.

“
I didn’t realize just how hard it’s been on you having your parents away so much. I love you, and I better get to keep hearing you sing because you’re amazing at it.”

“
I’ll sing for you, but you’ll have to drop this. I don’t want to sing for anyone else.”

“That’s bullshit. I know you want to. I’m psychic, remember? You’
re supposed to get everything you ever wanted,” he said, grinning.

“I love you, Brett, and you’
re all I need. On to another topic, my friends and I are going to The Stables Friday night. Then I’m going to have a little party here on Saturday night for our friends if you’re cool with it, so you need to invite the guys. The TV’s huge, so they can bring their video game system to hook up to it, and I’ll get dinner again.”

Brett’s dark skin tu
rned three shades lighter. He’d never thought about her going out without him. He knew she had the right, but he also knew guys were not going to leave her alone, and he wouldn’t be there to keep them off of her … to protect her.

“
Babe, you don’t look like you feel too good. Are you getting enough water in this heat?”

“
I’m fine. I better go to the restroom and get back to work,” he said, giving her a kiss on top of her head before he walked away. He was angry the rest of the day.

He didn’t
want to be a jealous boyfriend, but he didn’t want her going out to a bar without him, either. He knocked on her front door when he was finished working.

“Silly, why ar
e you knocking?”

“I didn’t wan
t to track mud in the house. I’m going to go home this evening and do a few things. I think the guys are getting tired of doing my share of chores.”

“
OK. Are you upset at me over the singing still?”

“
I’m not upset at you about the singing, but I think you should do it. I told you, I just need to be at home tonight.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

When Brett finished showering, he went into the family room to speak to Cody.

“Cody, you’ve had
a couple of girlfriends. Did they go out with their friends without you?”

“T
hey went to parties without me, but dude, I just turned twenty-one. The last girlfriend I had wasn’t old enough to go to a bar. Let me guess, Hannah wants to go out with her friends, and you’re not happy about it.”

“She said she’
s going to The Stables Friday night with her girlfriends.”

Cody chuckled
.

“What’s
so funny?”

“
The guys and I already talked about this. You’re so protective of her that we wondered what you’d do when this day came. She’s gorgeous and famous, so guys are gonna mess with her. Ask her friends to watch out for her.”

“Are you
kidding? Every time I saved her ass, they were there and did nothing. They get too drunk to care.”

Matt and Austin wa
lked in the front door. They both had on athletic shorts and t-shirts, and sweat dripped off of them from where they’d been playing basketball.

“
Brett’s asking me what to do about Hannah going to The Stables Friday night with her friends,” Cody said.

“Doesn’t it
bother you two that Chelsea and Morgan will be doing the same thing?” Brett asked.

“Morgan’s not my girlfriend
, so I can’t say a damn thing to her.”

Austin looked at Brett.
“I’m in your boat, man, but I’m not as crazy jealous as you. I was just going to take a chance and let Chelsea go alone. I trust she’ll tell guys to back off, and as long as she reciprocates when all of us go out, then I don’t feel I can really say anything.”

“Dammit
—this sucks!”

“Bro
, you’re messed up when it comes to her. I don’t know how you went from no commitments and not giving a damn, to raging, jealous boyfriend,” Matt said.

“It happened because I
fell in love with her.”

Matt, Austin
and Cody stopped what they were doing and stared at him in silence. At the same time, Dylan came through the door.

“Wow, bro
, have you told her?” Matt asked.

“Yeah, I told her when she was here Saturday night.”

“Told her what?” Dylan asked.

“Nothing, Dylan,” Brett said irritated.

“Tell me, man. What’s going on?”

“I told Hannah I l
ove her, but I swear you better not give me shit about this.”

“
All I’m going to say is you’re one lucky bastard.”

“
Would you want her going to The Stables without you if you were dating her?” Brett asked.

“Fuck no.
I wouldn’t let her go there without me,” Dylan replied as if he was stating the obvious.

“Just tell
her what you’re worried about, and maybe she’ll put your mind at ease,” Austin said.

“Or get royally pissed at me. I’m goi
ng to bed.”

Hannah was at the nail salon that evening with her girlfriends. She was quiet as the four of them sat along the nail stations.

“What’s up, girl
?” Chelsea asked her.

“What do you mean?”

“
You … something’s on your mind.”

“Everything’
s been great with Brett, but he acted weird before he went home today.”

“W
hat were you talking about before he left?”

Hannah re
called the singing conversation and wasn’t about to share. “We just talked about different things, and then I told him we were going out Friday. I also told him I was going to have a party at my house Saturday, which by the way, all of you are invited over Saturday night.”

“Shit, Hannah, I know what it is, and honestly you should
have figured it out first,” Chelsea said, shaking her head.

“What?”

“I can’t believe I need to spell this out for you. He’s upset about us going out.”

Hannah
felt vomit rise to her throat. “Oh my God, I have to go call him. I’m such a bitch for not thinking of it. He has to be losing his mind right now.”

“Chill, I didn’t mean for you to flip
out. I was just saying that he’s probably worrying about it,” Chelsea said.

“
I’m not used to having a boyfriend. I mean, this is all new to me. Can I even go out to a bar when I have a boyfriend?”

Jasmine spit out the soft drink she had just swallowed, spraying the nail tech and table.

“Ma’am, I’m so sorry,” she said. “Hannah, you can do whatever the hell you want. No guy can tell you that you can’t go. He may not like it, and it could cause problems, but it’s not about you being allowed to do anything,” Jasmine said.

“
I don’t know what to do now. I still want us all to hang out, but I don’t want him to think I’m going because I’m looking for someone else, or I want to flirt.”

“I’
m pretty certain he doesn’t think that after how much you pursued him, Hannah. He’s worrying about the men, not you,” Morgan said.

After she was done with her nails
, she decided to drive over to Brett’s instead of calling. On her way to his house, she noticed the black car following her. She thought it was the same one from the previous weekend and debated on telling Hudson, but she was certain he’d cancel his upcoming vacation if she told him.